Diablo: Sins of Our Past
by Simple Writer
Summary: This is a Diablo x Tales of Phantasia Crossover. It's 4 years after the cataclysmic battle with Dhaos. Now, there is a new evil brewing. Can Cless and his friends escape their sins while battling a new foe? UPDATED
1. 4 Years Later

It was just 4 years. 48 months, 208 weeks, 1460 soothing relaxing days. Aselia reverted to its peaceful state with humanity left in peace. The various countries achieved harmony with trade unencumbered, exploration approved, and families to grow. With the Demon King Dhaos vanquished once and for all and the presence of monsters dwindling it was as if a fairytale had come into fruition.

Yes a golden age spread across Aselia; why would anyone want this to end?

"Alright that's enough for today!" An authoritative voice rang out; the 4 equal ranks of students froze and in nigh perfect synchronicity moved to attention. The instructor positioned at the center of the formation utilizing his peripherals to study the strapping young lads. Nothing but pride was to be held for them.

Instructor glazed his sights over each student as he began to speak, "Take these lessons with you as you leave here today." His voice carried authority and never wavered. "Never lose sight of what you do, always be a student of your trade." The students straightened out, his words snapping them in line, perhaps they will stick. "Dismissed!" The ranks collapsed and each of them filed out of the dojo and into the sunset streets of Toltus.

The Instructor loosened his uniform and grasped a nearby chair. A master Swordsman? Perhaps, but teaching wore him down more than training ever could have hoped to. _Everything we built rests on our ability to defend ourselves._ Would it be enough should another foe like Dhaos strolled along? After all the only reason why Dhaos was cut down by a mortals blade was because the blade itself was imbued with magic forged from magic.

"You are one distracted man Mr. Cless Alvein." Those words dripped like honey cutting him from his train of thought. "Always so deep in thought, never once taking a step back to enjoy the quiet." Was he being mocked? No, a showing of concern that could be mistaken as such. He turns his gaze to a feminine figure descending the staircase. Blonde hair dangled carelessly by the waist side and draped graciously over her shoulders. She wore a medieval gown that fluttered and conformed to her every movement as if she walked out of a painting. Was there nothing she couldn't adorn?

Mint Adenade; the mother hen cleric whom Cless rescued, those years ago, after being betrayed by his only living relative. Together they, along with three great friends, Chester Burklight, Arche Klein, and Klarth Lester put an end to the bloody Valhalla War, defeated the Demon King Dhaos, and saved the World Tree Yggdrasil. They could have been famous, and were for a while, have been given riches beyond what any king could comprehend and the world would have carved them statues and figures into mountains but they declined instead returning to their humble lives. One thing they couldn't escape was history recording their trials.

"Mint," Cless muttered sheepishly. Yes he was a scatterbrain outside of training, hardly focusing on anything including small hobbies like hunting. The 17 year old boy who set out to avenge his home had become an adult man of 21 years, mastering and exceeding the swordsmanship of his father and reopened the Alvein Dojo to continue his father's work. With the settling peace that followed their conflict, came the darkness. His brows furrowed and his neck slung. 4 years, 4 years and while peace may have come to Aselia it was virtually nonexistent in him; the trials he and his friends faced forever burned in their minds but he showed the least resiliency despite being the former leader of their team.

"Cless you have to take in what is going on now. Look at what you- _we_ have built!" She kept her blue eyes concentrated on the swordsman before her. Since their ordeal Cless had been distant, favoring work and training to keep himself distracted. Those were the only moments she would ever see a smile cross his face. Chester had all but abandoned him, spending his time with Arche whom Lord knows whether or not their relationship is working out. Who could blame them? 100 years is a long time for someone you care about. But Cless? Cless is _here_ , not an elf but a mortal just like she and so the feelings they share are still fresh.

"This constant brooding, I've asked you countless times to at least talk with someone and the Reverand-"

"No!" Cless shot up, his eyes filled with anger. Mint stepped back, taking a defensive pose. Never had he raised his voice like that, _never to her_.

His chest heaved and his breath was heavy, his nostrils flared and his vision zeroed in on Mint. "What I need is to be allowed some peace!" He calmed down some as he continued, "And I am certainly not speaking to some quack who only cares about filling his coffers to grace his house with jewels!"

Tears welled up in the Cleric's eyes, her shoulders sank and she turned away from him. "He may be a 'quack' to you but because of him I've found a way that I can keep helping people. To help me deal with everything that happened." Her quivering tone shattered and she sobbed. "Don't you dare belittle him! You're not the only one who's suffering!" In that instant everything that had been bottled up in the years that followed the final battle with Dhaos flowed out. Shame overtook Cless and he stepped out of the dojo.

 _What happened to us?_ Cless's fragmented mind regained some composure in an attempt to sort out his current situation. _We were all so happy together, Mint, Chester, Arche, Klarth. Now? Now we can barely stand each other._ The new Founder of Toltus who braved a brutal world war and conquered a genocidal incarnation of The Devil was now faced with a new war and he wasn't sure if this was one he could win.

Cless rounded a corner and shifted his sights from left to right. From his position he could witness into the homes of the locals. The laughing, togetherness, family; all of it a testimony to what the human spirit can accomplish. Hard to believe that just _four years ago_ Toltus was a smoldering heap; now it was a bolstering community of three hundred and growing. Perhaps Mint was right, he did need to take in the small things.

A soft breeze carried the night, whistling through the trees and cooled the skin after an arduous day of training. One of the two moons shined over as if like a giant spotlight was exposing only him as if to say "here is the world's biggest victim. Woe be unto him for woe is him!"

Tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. Cless continued walking until he too was sobbing. He collapsed to his knees and buried his face in his hands. Suddenly, he wasn't the man he thought he was, his demeanor deteriorated, his emotions laid out on the pavement for the world to see. How he wished for his mother's tender touch, soothing his anguish, or his father's stinging yet inspiring words of wisdom. But they were gone, they were gone and they were not coming back. "I'm so sorry!" He cried out between his choking sobs. How was he worthy of peace? Of love? Of a home? How could this overgrown child possibly be deserving of such happiness with the way he is carrying himself now? "I'm sorry for everything." He sobbed again.

"That's okay." A gentle rugged voice said. Cless collected what little of himself he could and looked up with embarrassment that someone bore witness to his sorry display. A thick silhouette shadowed over whom Cless could barely see through his misty brown eyes. "A man who has been through many trials cannot hope bare that burden himself." He made out what could only be identified as a hand, he hesitated momentarily before reaching out.

"Come child and tell me your woes." Cless's vision cleared up and he saw a heavy wool robe dyed in blue move away. "I better be getting home." He responded somberly. "Mr. Alvein." The man in the blue robe stopped. "I know you are in deep pain. Now-"

"You don't know anything." Cless snapped, a stern expression only buffered the tone.

"I don't believe Mint is prone to lying Mr Alvein." The swordsman's eyes widened and his fists tightened. "You're the Reverend!" The Reverend motioned him to follow.

Mint stared out the window into the darkness of town, her face half buried in an arm with the other draped at her side. Her hair had become a matted mess in the minutes that followed Cless's departure from the dojo, her face puffy, and her blue eyes reddened. She stared as if a trance, her fingers gently tapping and sliding along the surface of the dining table. Mint and Cless weren't involved romantically, she hoped once things had settled down perhaps they would expand on their relationship the inner demons she and everyone else faced along with the distance Cless put emotionally and mentally between them made that road so hazardous that those feelings eventually fizzled away. This wasn't about romance though, this was about her best friend not opening up to her and instead of talking had a dangerous explosion of emotion. The pressure had always been there she guessed, she just wasn't sure how to take the lid off. Besides, she was never sure if Cless's good nature toward her was just a sign of his modesty or any an extremely vague hint of trying to be romantic.

"I just want him to talk about it. I want my friends back." She began to tear up but she fought them. Mint had always been the tender one in the group, the one making sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to do. She was the "mother hen" in the group and Cless was the leader, the one who had final say on any strategy or decision after a team discussion. She cooked the meals, healed her comrades, and scolded them when they did inane things like when Arche tried to peak at the boys in the hot tub. She really let the mage have it later night. She even gave Chester an earful after his attempt prior, after she healed his bruises of course.

After their journey and after finding help to rebuild and resettle Toltus Mint enlisted the help of a wandering preacher and in turn was enlisted into his newly established church to help those less fortunate. She believed in her work for it not only kept her busy and allowed her to cope with everything, but afforded her the opportunity to prevent bloodshed. When Cless called him a "quack" it wasn't just an insult to her faith, but an insult to her work, to what she _fought for and is fighting for_.

Mint wiped her eyes and went upstairs to fix her hair. After that task had been completed her mind went back to Cless and the fact that he still hadn't come home. _I'll go find him._ She calmed down much since their spat yet her expression still carried hurt. Taking a lantern she set out in the village to bring her friend home.

"So that's the whole story Reverend." Cless finally spilled out his life story after the point of his parents being killed and home torn asunder. During the interesting and not so interesting parts the blue robed man of God sat intently and held on to every word, every detail and acknowledged everything. The two of them set in front of the alter of the church hall, a fireplace was adjacent to the Reverend's rear left and the fire roared providing ample warmth and a soothing atmosphere. "Please call me Reverand Cain." He responded warmly with a smile that made even Cless smirk.

"Reverend Cain. I have a question." The elder man raised his brows and leaned back ready to accept. "During one of my battles, the Demon King once stated 'if there is evil in this world. It lurks in the hearts of Man.''" Cain nodded. "Do you believe that? I don't." The Reverend signed heavily before leaning in. "Man is terribly flawed. Terribly _flawed._ With that flaw mankind commits unspeakable acts. So yes I do believe evil exists in the hearts of men."

Cless was astonished yet somewhat offended. He always held the idea that people were generally good and would always do the right thing if given the opportunity, before he could respond Cain continued, "There are people who think that if you just 'do good' then you're a good person. However without a strong morally rooted foundation, you cannot accurately decide whether or not the acts were truly good. Many men throughout history have done horrible things because they perceived their goals to be noble, much like this Demon King Dhaos." "But Dhaos was trying to save his planet!" Cless quipped back, thinking he trapped the Reverend. "On the contrary my boy, _nothing justifies_ Genocide. His end goal may have been noble, but the means he exercised to achieve were pure evil."

Cless sank in his chair over what Cain just said, disbelief and realization hitting him at once. "The ends do not justify the means. We always want to see the good in people and because of that we as humans end up rationalizing our actions or the actions of others because they could very well be someone we know or love. Tyranny, poverty, and war are the natural state of man with war being the only truly neutral one of the three. If people are safe and secure in exchange of not being able to say, open up this church or allow free protest because it might upset someone, do those sound like things a moral person would do?" Cless sat up straight again when the Reverend finished the question. It made sense he thought, knowing that just because someone may have good intentions does not mean they are a good person. Cless felt his internal stress, his internal anguish begin to dwindle and he felt more relaxed.

Mint stood outside the church, the acoustics of the large hall allowed her to easily eavesdrop undetected and she listened in agreement. There weren't many places to wander to in Toltus as pub and stores were closed. The only place that ran day and night was the church so naturally she decided Cless had gone there and sure enough she was right.

"Now my boy; There is something I want to discuss with you since we are on the subject of evil." Reverend Cain stood up and just as he did, Mint entered. "Mint!" Cless stood up, his eyes carried not sadness but regret for having snapped at her just an hour or so ago. "I-I'm sorry." He looked down at the velvet carpet that trailed to the double wooden doors of the church. "I heard most of everything. I guess I am sorry too. Life hasn't been easy even if it has been peaceful these past four years. I guess it was just wishful thinking to believe we would all come out _normal_." She turned to the Reverend who still was facing the fireplace. "What is it that you wanted to discuss?"

The Reverend smiled inwardly and began to speak, his back still facing them. "I am an old man. A very old man. Older than either of you."

"So you're an elf?" Cless asked.

"No I'm not an elf." His tone changed, the seriousness of his voice drained the warmth from the room, Mint shivered. "There is an ancient evil that was thought to have been extinguished long ago, yet its essence still lingers and it is trying to resurrect." He turns around to both Cless and Mint, his face expressionless yet stern. "Though I fear it already has."

Mint stepped forward. "What do you mean?" She asked, keeping her sights focused on the man she had come to admire. He'd been in Toltus for the better part of 2 and a-half years and in that period of time she never knew such a side of him. "Are you familiar with the _Sin Wars_?" Mint gasped and almost fell to her feet; her eyes wide with horror when his words spilled out that name.

"Mint? Wait what's going on?" Cless asked shocked, the air grew colder and as he grasped Mints arm she was frozen to the touch and her face was void of all color. "Reverend Cain." Cless said as he stood up. "Just who are you exactly?"

The blue robed Reverend stood straight, a small yet warm smile placed on his lips. Suddenly he wasn't the man Mint introduced herself too. "I am Cain. Deckard Cain."


	2. They're Just Stories

Did Mint hear true? Was this man really who he says he is? _It's not possible! Those were just stories from my mother!_ Her skin grew pale and she found herself unable to breath. She coughed and wheezed desperately trying to regain her composure.

"Mint!" Cless wrapped his arms around his friend and hoisted her to her feet after which he set her down in one of the church pews. He turned to Cain. "What's going on here? What are you talking about?" Cain dusted his robe and nodded towards his cleric assistant. "You should ask her. She definitely seems to have knowledge of it."

The swordsman turned his attention back to her and she seemed to have recovered some. In a quivering voice she began to speak, "The Sin War was a catastrophic conflict between the holy Angels of Heaven, and the corruption of Hell." She grasps her dress tightly, and looked down straining herself to continue. "The stories say that a chosen warrior stood in defiance of the Lords of Hell as Heaven's Champion, and a fierce battle ensued. It was believed he vanquished them and cast them into the Void from which they could never return." Mint turned her blue eyes up towards Cless and then to Cain who nodded in agreement. "But those were just stories my mother told me when I was little. She never actually believed them." She looked down again and frowned her voice shrinking as she continued, "They were just fairy tales, dark fairy tales told to scare little kids."

Deckard Cain sighed heavily. "Child. They were not whimsical stories about good triumphing over evil. This is the history of our world and every word of it is as true as the sun and two moons that rise overhead!" Mint shook her head in disbelief and slung her torso down till it touched her knees.

"Heaven? Hell? I'm completely lost. The battle of _Ragnorok_ happened long ago. What you're talking about makes no sense." Cless interjected his face growing with confusion. "There is no _God,_ no _Lords of Hell_ and there are certainly no _Heaven and Hell_!" Cain motioned for the young man to settle down. "Ragnorok was just a name of a battle that happened within the Sin War." He said finally; Cless found himself speechless at what he said. "What you call 'God's' are nothing more than Angels in the way only humans could have perceived them. These are celestial beings whose true visage we cannot hope to comprehend." Cain sat down and signed in relief as comfort took hold of him. "They sometimes appear as great deities from your history, sometimes as mortal men observing human interaction, and sometimes they will appear as pillars of light cast in suits of iron." As the swordsman listened to the man whom only hours ago was known the Town Preacher he realized just how little he really knew about the world around him and possibly, the people who came into his life.

"I understand this is a lot to take in so I won't waste your time any more than I already have." Deckard Cain as old as he looked showed remarkable resiliency; his motor skills were on par with an individual possibly 10 years his junior. This man moved, spoke clearly and concisely with no pause to recover from any issue that accompanied village elders. "What I will ask you is to think hard and act quickly to what I am about to say." Mint lifted her head up and both she and Cless had their attention firmly on him. "I fear the Sin War may be resumed if it has not started already. I ask that you, victors of the Valhalla War, Heroes of Eternity, aid your world in what may be its most difficult trial."

"This is ridiculous." Cless started, running his hands sheepishly through his hair. "I-I don't know if I believe any of this, but I don't think you're lying." He looked down at Mint who in turn returned his gaze with her own and nodded. "When do we begin?"

Deckard Cain smiled warmly.

 **(A dry chapter I understand. I'm trying to set the mood and pace for the rest of the story. Yes I know. I've completely uprooted the lore's of just about everything. Relax to those of you who take issue with this; this is a fan fiction no? I promise more will happen next time. Please review!)**


	3. Corruption

((So this is a very late update. I'm in the military and I was doing an overseas tour. What little time I could find to myself I used to compile this story. I will continue the story with regular updates.

UPDATE: So I had completely forgotten that I wrote Chester was spending time with Arche in the first chapter.))

His aim was true, the arrow splitting into its target with the veracity of Odin's spear. A heavy whine and the boar fell dead.

"Yes!"

Chester, the young blue haired archer strutted triumphantly at his kill. He stared at his prize, the arrow erecting from jelly mound that was once its beady eye. "All in a day's work, and it's not even noon." He laughed and hoisted the mass over his shoulders. Today's kill was exceptional, much larger and heavier than usual. _Pregnant perhaps? More meat._

The archer carried his kill through the forest south of Totus. The air was cool, the sun wasn't yet high enough to cause discomfort. "Wait until Cless and Mint get a load of—" _Cless and Mint_. Chester knew all too well the situation surrounding _those two_.

It had been four years since the ordeal with Dhaos and unlike his two friends Cless and Mint, Chester seemed to be well-adjusted. _Or you're just good at faking._ Like everyone else when the Heroes of Eternity, it wasn't just the physical scars they left with. Their wounds ran deeper than skin and flesh, the death, the loss, the horror, all of it seared into their brains and hearts. Chester ran off to the Ymir Forest to be with Arche, whom had confessed her feelings for him and him to her some time ago. The time they spent together post-battle was rocky, seemed to stabilize; but now? Well he wasn't so sure.

"Just gotta move on! Things can only get better." He said in between heaves.

The time for mourning, for assimilation back into society, to be _normal_ had passed. At least he thought so. In any case, he's moving forward. The town has been re-built, people came to settle, and life goes on. Cless and Mint, especially Cless, seemed to be stuck in time.

 _Maybe that's why I'm all by myself catching this surprise dinner!_ Sure he was use to hunting by himself occasionally, but lugging 100 or so pounds of dead game was more of a workout than the actual hunt and he had to have been a good 3 miles from town. Chester decided it was time to come back to Totus, to visit his old friends and see if anything had _changed._ He just hoped Arche would understand and forgive his absence. _If she would ever listen_.

There was a rustle in the brush up ahead followed by a loud-animal like-snarl. "Oh no no," Chester stopped and stepped back, "I'm done hunting." The snarls increased in frequency, and they were soon met with what sounded like a wet crunching and slurping. _Gotta be wolves, coyote's maybe?_ Chester ignored it and continued, his pace quickened, moving passed the brush until he found himself on the ground face first, the weight of the bore above him caving on his back.

* * *

"My. We've talked through the whole night." Deckard Cain chuckled, gazing through the window blinds of his church. The blue robed preacher turned his attention to Cless and Mint who had passed out sometime during their talks.

"Mmmm. What time is it?" Cless mumbled, his eyelids tightening at the piercing sunlight. "We should make preparations to leave as soon as possible." Cain responded, still looking into the relative peace of Totus. Children running, playing, and some on their way to class. Cain felt uneasy thinking about how soon the world was saved that the lives of these innocent souls were once again going to be put in jeopardy.

"Yeah-wait a minute." Cless paused for a moment, his eyes shooting open at the sudden realization he forgotten. "Today I have to be in the forest hunting!" This jolted Mint who jumped in her seat away from the swordsman, her blue eyes fluttering open and shut as her body punished her for such a movement.

"Cless what's gotten into you?" The cleric looked up at Cless as he pulled himself to his feet and started for the exit. Before reaching the door he checked himself, "I'm supposed to be out, we've got nothing prepared for tonight nor tomorrow." He opened the door and stepped out. "I'm such an idiot!"

He cursed himself for having no control over his emotions, this was putting a damper on day to day tasks and while Totus was restored, it was still a long ways off before it was back to its former galore. No could afford a slacker. _Everyone does their part!_ Cless was still wearing the clothes he garbed the day prior and had no sword, no armor save for the dagger he kept on his person. Not only had he slept through a vital chore, he was going to jump in _unprepared_. The sun was up too high for him to run home and don the proper equipment. He cursed again and decided he wasted enough time. If he couldn't slay a deer or boar, then he put faith in his reflexes and nab a rabbit.

* * *

Chester was in a daze. "Wha-what happened?" He mumbled before his vision focused and understood where he was, or rather where he _wasn't._ "That's right." He said and wiggled his body to orientate himself. No use.

The already heavy weight of the boar was accompanied by _something else_. The slurping and crunching from before was louder, and he felt the warm tickle of blood drip onto his neck. Chester started to panic, he squirmed and struggled, but the added weight on top of his kill was too much for him maneuver out from under.

"Damn it!" He yelled and struggled some more. "Where the hell is Cless when you need him?" He rocked to and fro, the weight above him shifting slightly, but not enough to make a difference. "Damn, damn, DAMN!" Chester struggled some more, he heaved at the ground the dust clouding into his face causing him to hack and spit. "Ugghhh!"

Cless hustled as fast as he could, ducking branched, dodging trees, and jumping over shrubs. The shortcuts to the usual hunting spot in the forest were plentiful and he knew exactly where to go. The shouting came from a distance when he got deeper into the brush. Cless sensed trouble.

* * *

"Someone's out here?" He said aloud, pivoted into a hard turn, and started in the direction of the noise. He ran, even as his legs were burning and his sides started to pain he ran, taking giant gasps of air when he could. As the rustling and shouting got louder Cless slowed his pace. His certainly of whomever it was being saved was diminishing. Just where the hell was he? How far into the forest did this person wander? "Hello!?" Cless called out as his legs finally gave out, his sides whining and thighs burning.

"C-Cless?!" A response! The pitch and ruggedness of the shout was familiar. _Could it be?_ Cless forced himself back to his feet and called out, picking up his sore legs once again to aide his troubled friend. The noises grew louder, now Cless could hear what he thought were animal snarls and flesh tearing. "Oh God. Chester!" An ache swelled within his chest, the thought of losing someone else dear to him on top of everyone else in his life was becoming more real with every second he spent away from the scene.

Cless found himself in a clearing and before him he saw the grizzly performance taking place in front of him. "Chester!" He shouted, ignoring the flaring coursing through his body. There his childhood friend lay underneath a mauled boar, rib cage pried and gore riddling the dirt. From the swordsman's vantage point he witnessed a humanoid, no a _person_ buried in the carcass in what was sure his friend's game.

"Hey get off of him!" The feasting individual paused, the slurping and crunching noise of torn flesh slithering down its throat was the only audible noise.

Alerted by Cless's demand it stands up and swings its shambling frame in his direction. _A zombie?_ Instantly identified the foe before him, he draws the dagger from underneath his clothing and takes a stance to brace himself in the coming conflict. Cless and his friends had dealt with these abominations during the early days of their adventures in the catacombs. Though this one looked different. _Wrong_. It wasn't just a deceased cadaver, its entire existence seemed even more incomprehensible than any and all previous encounters. "What's tha-" The undead horror lunged, snarling and gasping, skeletal foulness reaching outward, it heaved itself full force into the air towards Cless. He dodges. It skids along the ground and quickly recovers.

Not wanting to drag the fight any longer than it needs to, Cless pivots and whirls his leg up against the chest cavity of the zombie. The force of the impact sends it stumbling falling smack against a tree. The skull caves inward, with a heavy sigh the zombie ceases all movement.

Chester heaves the mauled boar off his body, free from the excess weight that hindered his mobility. "The hell took you so long?" The archer dusted himself off and stretched.

"Good to see you too buddy. Glad you're up and at'em." Cless retorted in a sarcastic tone still heaving from the marathon he ran to assist his friend. Chester stares at the dead boar and curses under his breath. "Got to get another one now." He plucks the string of his bow, checking it for damage.

"Ever seen one like this?" Chester asks referring to the undead monster sitting in a pile of its own gore. His friend catches his breath, his face still flushed. "Never." He coughs. The two spend the next several moments recovering deciding on what to do next.

"The Corruption has already reached this land I see." The two men turn to the sight of Deckard Cain and Mint standing in the opening with them. "Hey you're the Preacher." Chester says puzzled by his presence. "Time is shorter than I thought."

"What do you mean 'short'? What's going on? Stop ignoring me!" Chester exclaims, visibly frustrated over being ignored and having lost the beautiful bounty now desecrated.

"What do we do Cain?" Mint asks looking over the corpse of the fallen ghoul. "The Evils are rising, Hell is seizing its moment. We must make for the Monastery this instant!"

"You mean it _exists?"_ The cleric stands up, shocked having just about everything she was ever told as a little girl confirmed. Now Cless was puzzled, Chester more so. "Why do we need to go there?" She moves towards the blue robed Reverend with an anxious look. "There is someone there who can help." Cain turns away and clashes his staff against the ground. "Let's go."

"Guess you'll explain this to me along the way right?" Chester slings his bow over his shoulder and proceeds to follow the group towards the Alvanista Kingdom. Cless nods and follows suit, "We'll tell you everything. But I gotta say, it's going to be hard to believe."

"Try me."

((Now we're getting somewhere. Again I had forgotten about Chester NOT being with the group for some time. Please remember to review and let me know what you think!))


	4. The Enemy's First Move

((Quick note: When I write "Cless" that's because when I first played ToP that is how I've always known him. To me "Cress" seems too weird for me.

After a 3 day trek the group reached the port town Venezia, a hub for fisherman and traders alike. The trip itself was as simple as it was treacherous. The usual encounters with mountain dwelling beasts and bandits only hindered their advance by hours. Archer would keep distance between them and their foes with his archery skills, Cless would flank from either side, and Mint provided ample support with her clerical abilities. Deckard Cain on the other hand, was the only one who seemed unfazed by their ordeals, the blue robed mystery man who only just days ago was the local Preacher of Totus bringing with him tales of God, brimstone, fire, and salvation.

Gazing at the skirmishes that took place, he would continue his steady but quick pace, their foes repelled by an unseen aura or a small incantation audible for him. The trio of heroes only observed in shock. "You're quite capable Old Man Cain." Chester quipped and Cain would only smile move on. They had seen no signs of Corruption since leaving the forest.

"There are many things about me and this world you will soon find out." The response only infuriated Chester, despite everything he was told along the way there was more he wanted to know. The red flag he was hiding something hoisted higher than it was before. _Yet can't help but trust him huh?_

The young archer was told everything during their trip about how Cain was more than just some Reverend looking to settle his parish and spread the Good Word. During their campfire moments under the Aselian night sky he was explained the Sin Wars from Mint, about how the Prime Evils waged a bloody war upon Heaven and the World of Man only to be defeated several times by men of valor picked by the High Heavens as their champions.

Cless and Chester would listen intently as she spoke, "They once invaded Heaven and almost succeeded in destroying all of Creation." Cain marveled at her almost encyclopedic knowledge of the subject. For someone who had these stories passed down from childhood, she held on to every detail. "I may not even have to accompany you three if this lovely young lady keeps that up." Cain said jokingly, Mint blushed at his flattery. She would continue, "It must have been a sight to behold, looking upon the Gates of Heaven and gaze at the wonders from where Creation gets its life and likeness from." The young Cleric then clasped her hands together tightly as if she were praying. _Mother._

The Reverend stared at her gingerly; _despite everything they've been through, she still retains her innocence. I wonder._ "We will see."

When they had left Hamel the intermediary stop between Euclid and Venezia, the subject of Chester's relationship with Arche came up. "Does she even know you're gone?" Cless asked wondering why his childhood friend would just leave without the jolly Half-Elf accompanying him.

After they became an item they practically became inseparable. Each time he was pressed, he dismissed it firmly. "I don't want to talk about it." Mint, feeling mischievous herself, would chime in "100 years is a long time for the heart to wonder." Chester would have none of it, "Knock it off okay!?" He seethed, the blood rushing to his head from fluster. "I'm here, Arche is there. If she wants to join us she'll know where to look." The duo laughed at how easy his buttons could be pressed. All the while the blue robed Reverend only piled on, "To be young again." He chuckled.

"Soooooryyy." Cless decided to bring the subject up again at a later time. It seemed strange, they were so close to having the whole group back together-except for the late Klarth F. Lester and the unborn Suzu-it seemed a little suspicious he showed up, but _not her_.

Upon reaching Venezia Deckard Cain immediately started for the Inn. "It's getting dark, we must rest up." He directed clanking his staff against the cobble stone street. Just like that he disappeared into the brick building. Mint, Chester, and Cless all stood outside looking at each other. "We should probably get some _supplies_." The swordsman said, kneeling down to take inventory of their provisions both medicinal and edible.

"I'll go." Mint gestured for the bag of gald from him as Chester headed into the Inn. "You sure you'll be okay?" Cless hands her the bag. "Yes." She responds plainly, promptly took the bag and headed for the nearest canoe. The swordsman watched at his friend as she walked away. "Alright, guess I'll be-" A growl echoed up and down the street as the sun disappeared over the horizon.

"The hell?" He takes a few steps, the torches-by will of magic-flicker on illuminating the night time cityscape of Venezia. Opposite from where he stood a cat charges in his direction, changes direction, and hops over some trash cans onto the roof. "Stupid cat." He muttered to himself and turned to go inside when the growl emanated, louder this time. The city wasn't too busy in the evening so there wasn't anybody in the vicinity.

As if on instinct Cless dove to the right just as an object hurled towards him. There was a loud thud as the object in question made connection with the Inn. _Spear?_ Sword drawn Cless faces the street, "Who's there?" Another spear flies towards him, on que he dodges again. From the shadowy alley's a dark practically nude-save for the loin cloth that barely held around its waste-silhouetted figure with eyes as bright as the morning sun leaps into view. A good twenty or so feet away but he could tell his own frame towered over it or him, he wasn't sure what to call "it".

"What are you? Who are you? Can you speak?" He keeps his guard up, deciding the next move his new foe makes would be its last.

In a frenzy it jumped up and down, its arms flailing wildly into the air. "You die! You die!" Its voice was high pitched, screeching to the ears.

That was all Cless needed to hear. Soon two more figures joined the fray, one garbed exactly like the first and the other donned almost tribal like attire with a massive as its primary weapon.

"So 'Old Man Cain,'" Chester spoke from the bed across at the far end of the room. "Who exactly _are_ you?" He wasn't buying the garbage that he was a humble Preacher, having _that_ much information about his worlds history, history he nor anyone he had ever met even heard about was just some coincidence. "And don't tell me you're some historian."

Deckard Cain sighed and smiled leisurely. "Young Burklight, make no mistake _I am_ a historian. A _scholar_ if you will." His voice rugged and raspy, Cain knew he wouldn't be able to hide everything from Chester and his friends, he just didn't intend on everything being revealed so soon. "I know much about our world and the trials it has endured. You can say I even know more than the race everyone refers to as 'Elves'."

"What a load of bull-"Before he could finish there was a loud tap from the Inn's exterior quickly followed by another one. "Great! Now what?" Chester and the Reverend gathered their things and made for the exit.

* * *

"Apples, bread, eggs, steak cuts, carrots…" Mint trailed off as she collected the groceries needed for their meals. She had just gotten done with the local pharmacy where she restocked their supply of gummies and antidotes. The gummies didn't taste the best, but they did wonders for the metabolism to guarantee swift healing. She assembled her grocery list soon after departing from outside the Inn.

She would have asked either of the gentlemen to accompany her, but having already spent _three days_ she-being the only female of the group-needed some time to herself to decompress. _One can only handle the antics of so grown boys at once for so long_. She giggled to herself though she was very certain Mr. Cain to be the most pleasant of the three. She admired the man, he gave her _purpose_ to go on living, to still do good in this world. She was so mad when Cless besmirched her work, she was still bitter about it, even after the apology.

"That will be 250 gald miss." The clerk said once she was satisfied with what she collected. She paid the man, gathered the bags and headed outside. She made for the canoe, stacking the bags against her hips as she maneuvered herself onto the tiny vessel. "Where to miss?" The man asked, blowing rings with each puff of his pipe.

"The Inn." She responded, the man kicked away from the dock and rowed. Mint felt good about the haul from the grocery, being the "mother hen" of the group came with many responsibilities, one of them was the designated cook. She didn't mind, as those moments as the meals simmered over the fire were almost therapeutic for her. _Maternal instincts maybe?_ She wasn't a mom, but she yearned for one day to have a little one of her own. The fight with Dhaos only made that goal more apparent in her life. For now though, making sure those boys were fed was all she could do to hold her desires at bay.

Left, right, then left again, Mint felt uneasy as the sights began to _change._ "Sir, this isn't _the way_." The man didn't look back and kept rowing. "Oh I know." He responded.

"We're heading to the Dock." Alarmed, Mint grasped her staff and it glowed as she pointed it towards her would-be kidnapper.

"Why?" She demanded. The man still did not look back. "I'm under _orders_." Puzzled-and a little frightened-she hesitated before asking "From who? Where are you going to take me? Why?"

"You'll see. Now put your 'weapon' away, you _can't_ _hurt me_." Her heart thumbed against her chest and she felt short of breath as she couldn't believe what was unfolding before her. _Mr. Cain, Chester, Cless! Somebody!_

* * *

"The one with the staff! Slay him and the rest will cease to revive!" Bruised and tired from having killed the same two screeching creatures the umpteenth only to have their fallen corpses get pulled back up from unseen enchantment. "Chester cover me!" His friend gathered the attention of the two grunts while the lead grunt identified as the "shaman" launched a volley of fire ball spells at them. They were small, the range non-threatening, but they still hurt on impact.

The grunts were just as much a handful, though small they were strong having landed several successful punches and kicks upon the two fighters. So long as they didn't close the distance, their rabid flailing and erratic incoherent talking made them more of a nuisance if anything. When they got up after every kill, the chance of victory seemed to disappear entirely until Cain dropped that bit of helpful information they had a real chance at winning this sorry excuse for a fight. The swordsman moved in, flanking the Shaman from the left and swung upward.

"Kill! Kill! No! No!" Was all it could say as his blade connected, cutting diagonally across the torso of small creature. It squealed and wheezed before collapsing in a puddle of purple colored blood. In that instant the other two ceased their attack; their bodies twisting and contorting in sickening ways before their frames were unrecognizable piles of mush.

"Cless? You alright there buddy?" Cless shook his blade and wiped it of all the blood before sheathing. "Yeah." He called back and walked back to the two men. "What's going on here 'Old Man'?" Chester demanded as shot an angry glance at Cain. "None of this happened before _you_ showed up so tell us. Is this that "Corruption" you and Mint spoke about?" Cain nodded without saying a word. This only enraged Chester further.

"Listen! There were _three_ of those things that we know of in the city! Three! That means there could be countless more of them around here!"

"Chester calm down. He's not the cause of-"Chester pressed his arm out against Cless's chest. "Don't defend him! How do we know _he's_ not the one who brought this to us? You and Mint are so trusting you don't even have the sense to question that maybe, just _maybe_ this guy isn't on the up and up." Chester took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves before continuing to speak. "I haven't seen you nor Mint in 3 years since we finished rebuilding Totus. I come back and you're still the same 'good natured gullible blondie' from our childhood and our trails with Dhaos. Mint I thought was little more mature, but she's just as gullible as you."

The words stung Cless heavily. During those days of rebuilding their home, the night terrors, depression, internal strife, all of it made themselves visible. No matter how much he tried to, he never succeeded in trying to put those dark feelings away and move on. Find solace in the work he did when the dojo opened offered temporary sanctuary but he never truly found salvation from those trials. Maybe it was his fault, Cless always put up a strong front for his friends but they saw through it. It was as if he convinced himself his job as instructor was what he had to do because idle hands would have led to something darker.

The falling out that occurred soon after the first structures were erected with help from Euclid and Alvanista workers led to what they thought the official and final disbandment of the Heroes of Eternity. Chester left to be with Arche, as he promised, once the initial stages of construction were done. It was as if Cless Alvein's existence had lost all meaning. _I've been so selfish. Here I am thinking I was the only one hurting and didn't think to consider everyone else._

Now? Well now here he was, suddenly finding purpose again and he expected his old group to just spring into action. "Chester," Cless began his eyes lacking the strength to look at his childhood friend whom he shared so much with, "I'm sorry. I just-"

"The Cleric has been taken." Cain interrupted. The two young men exchanged puzzled looks and stared at him eyes opened. "What do you mean?" Cless asked in a frantic tone.

"I can sense the Mana that courses through her being. She is soon to leave this continent. The Corruption of Hell and the Evils have taken her captive." Chester dropped his arm, Cless tightened his fists. "I believe she will be taken to the Monastery."

"What Monastery? How do we know it even exists?" It was Cless who asked, the tone of a defeated man signaled doubt.

Cain lamented their predicament. "You've trusted me for this long. I ask for a bit longer. If we are to save Miss Adenade we must make for the Alvanistan Continent. I didn't expect the Enemy to move so swiftly against us. Now let's leave before we attracted more company."

Chester grunted in frustration but surrendered his assistance to the group, they were beyond the Point-of-No-Return. _No going back_.

The rushed to the Dock where-upon arrival-they saw a ship had already set sail. One ship available now, one chance to go after _them._

"Need a ship to Alvanista. Now!" Cless frantically spoke to the Captain. The Sailor Captain looked at the younger gentlemen cock-eyed, puzzled at his yearning to leave. The fare was 150 gald per individual, 450 total. Luckily for them Cain had stowed a pretty penny for their trip, enough to cover all of them. The sails were dropped, anchor raised, the ship casted off to the ocean in pursuit of Mint and her unnamed kidnapper.

They were too late stop Mint's capture, but they wouldn't fail in her rescue.

((What did you think? I hope you had as much fun reading this chapter as I did writing it.))


	5. Mint's Ordeal

They ventured into the darkness, the cold damp air adding to feeling of melancholy. How far had they traveled? She didn't know. Where was she exactly? She couldn't be sure either. All she remembered was boarding a ship against her will and fed some soup.

* * *

Her captor had been eerily courteous, offering mild compliments and paying for her meal. He wasn't hostile, yet his charm was made all the more disturbing by his imposing demeanor. Medium frame, no bigger than Cless, easy to talk with and offered no sense of danger. Compliance was what he wanted and that's what she gave.

Before everything went dark she remembered vaguely a conversation with him. It started with her asking all the questions, too many for him to answer or he only answered the ones he _chose_.

"Where are you taking me?" Mint demanded sitting on the opposite end of the table in the ships onboard Pub. The man intertwines his fingers to kill time as their voyage carried, ignoring the question. She shifts gears, attempting to get _some_ information from him. In the back of her mind he must have an idea of who she was and of her title so she would go out and just profess in her questioning, "Were you hired to go after the Heroes of Eternity?"

The man pauses and folds his hands together before facing her. "Who you are or what you are? Could care less." He shrugs and shakes his head. "The importance of your existence isn't for me to decide."

 _A dead end_ , she thought and decided to press further, "Can you tell me where we're going? Who hired you? What significance do _I_ have?" The waiter comes by and sets a frothing mug in front of him, he takes grasps his beverage and swallows half of it. Besides looking like one of the canoe operators in Venezia there was nothing about his appearance Mint would ascertain to help her distinguish him. _Except._ Except his eyes were two completely different colors, one red and the other yellow.

He sets the mug down, sighing in relief from his satisfying drink. "You're truly a remarkable looking woman. Fills me with a tad bit of guilt to have to put you through this." _He just completely dodged everything I said._ He smiles warmly at her. "Your manners, your demeanor. So _traditional._ Aren't many lovely ladies like you in this world."

Mint blushed averting her eyes from him. The rest of the trip was the same way, the man's impressive tolerance for alcohol kept her from questioning him further so she would stay in her seat, defeat washing over her. Occasionally Mint would dig into the food provided for her and space out, _if I were more like Arche,_ she thought, _I could over power him and escape._ Sure she knew some immobilizing artes from her mana capabilities but there was more to this man than what he let on. She could sense it, something _dark_ and it was festering within him. Her power, she was sure, was no match against his.

* * *

 _Must have drugged the soup._ Mints steps were slow, steady, the darkness so dense it completely impaired her vision. Did it? She was seeing just fine before they ventured in to what she recalled a "tunnel". Her captor? He seemed to be having an easy time navigating. "This way now. Come on." He would say sweetly as if to assure her everything was going to turn out right. He assisted her through the mysterious path, stumbling over lord knows what was sprawled or littered along the ground. Mint knew better though. _Nothing_ was alright and the further they trekked, the more that became apparent. She could feel the presence of evil.

There was a mechanical noise, objects sliding, the air growing stiff, and moisture just as thick as it was when they first entered. She felt compelled to ask him, "Please. Tell me where we're going." Her voice echoed and carried through her surroundings. The Captor eased her along, using nudges to guide her through the twisting and turning. "Relax darling." His voice never losing its patience, a calming force to coax an increasingly frightened Mint.

 _Be strong. Cless, Chester, and Mr Cain know you're missing. Help will come soon._

She kept quiet, finally surrendering to the disappointing fact he wasn't going to tell her _anything._ Silently she prayed.

The feeling, the presence of evil, from before only grew. Its aura expanded immensely, she struggled to breath, her shoulders weighted down, and her steps lazy, haphazard. "This feeling." She mumbled. "I can't describe it. It's empty, terrifying, _hateful,_ and cold all at once like it just shouldn't exist!" She could feel tears welling up.

 _The voice crept through the stale air, "But it does."_ Her body tensed and shivered involuntarily, her heart pumped furiously against her chest.

"We're here."

Mint still couldn't see what was before her but in her mind she could picture the horror that was surely looking upon her.

" _We have a visitor._ " It was as if the air itself was talking. "I will go 'greet' them." She heard her captor say before leaving.

" _Child. I release your blinds."_ The darkness that plagued Mint's sights slowly dissipated. First, light came into view and she could make out odd shapes around her. The room she was in was well lit, allowing her eyes to adjust to her rediscovered sense. As her vision focused some more it became abundantly clear this was no _ordinary room_. The walls ran high above disappearing into the dark ceiling where the light could not pierce. A fog lay about, rolling and shifting, and hindered her from seeing anymore beyond the fireplace which sat adjacent to her left. Aside from that _voice_ and the crackling of the fireplace the room was completely silent.

"Look upon me child _."_ The voice commanded and Mint obeyed. Immediately her eyes narrowed on the source of the voice.

"Oh, my God."

((Who or what is Mint looking at? Maybe we'll see in the next entry! As always please read and review!))


	6. Cless, Chester, and Cain's Ordeal

"How the hell did we lose them?" Cless slammed his fists against the rail of the ship as they prepared to dock at Alvanista. The passengers began their descent and pour into the city, the young swordsman could only stare into the morning twilight, the sun rising creating a whimsical, peaceful sight of the cityscape. Cain snuffed and coughed. "They most likely headed for the Monastery _._ " He said stepping beside his younger companion.

"How can you be sure?" Cless asked looking down, his anger brewing inside. "Because the _Corruption_ is ripe here. It has infected this land."

Cain turns to Cless and puts a tender hand on his shoulder. "My boy." He starts, speaking softly "I understand your anguish. But, we cannot hope to find Ms Adanade if we do not remain focused." The young man nodded and proceeded to disembark.

"Took you guys long enough." Chester was at the base of the ramp rapping his foot against the ground, his patience worn thin by their idle chat. He watches Deckard and Cless stroll into the bustling streets of Alvanista, the Capital of one of the most prosperous countries in Aselia. "So where's this Mones-whatever at?" Chester asks following.

"Southwest of here." Cain responds. The trio press on to the City Gates, Chester falls behind taking in what the Reverent just said. " _Southwest?"_ He asks nervously before catching up.

"That's what he said. Chester what's wrong?" Cless takes a glance at his best friend whose expression went from puzzled to extreme worry. "N-nothing." The archer shakes his head and assures the other two everything is fine. _Great. Means we'll probably be stopping by the Ymir Forest_.

Upon leaving the city, they made do south, following the trail before deviating towards the Ymir Forest. The Monastery itself however, was not in the Forest, it would be in the vicinity, just outside. "It will be about a day's walk from here. No stops, we must haste." Deckard assured his fellow travelers of what to expect. He would explain the Monastery was not the initial source of the Corruption, it would serve as stop gap, a means to understand _everything._ "Cannot be sure though." He mumbled aloud.

The landscape of the Alvanista Fields were largely unchanged from when Cless, Mint, Klarth, and Arche ventured in the preceding days of the Valhalla War and in the future before the final battle with Dhaos when Chester tagged along. Just as vibrant and open as it ever was, matted with small forest and brush with an amber morning sky made the whole land glow. Breathtaking.

Over a century washed over the battles they experienced on their journey but in Cless's mind images of their endeavors flashed on the sloped fields as if they happened just days prior.

 _Only they didn't. Stop dwelling on the past!_ He scolded himself and continued their march. It was late into the afternoon when they crossed the bridge into _Elven Territory_. While technically under the influence of the Alvanista Kingdom, the Elves retained total sovereignty of the lands they inhabited. While not as industrious as humans, preferring to retain their own customs and courtesies over what they called the "corruption of modern society", Elves cultivated their landed and expanded their homes on an as needed basis.

The clouds overhead cracked, the wind carried a chill. Fissures tore through the landscape and silhouette geographic features erected above them. The three of them stood and watched in awe at the sight before them. Cain was convinced his fears have become realized. "The Corruption has taken root here."

Chester shot Cain a confused look. "Wait, I've been living with the Elves for the past few years. I never noticed any of this."

"The Elves use powerful magic. They may have been able to repel it hence the contrast." Deckard bowed his head and mumbled to himself. A prayer. A prayer to the _High Heavens_ to afford them the strength to purge this evil from the world and restore it to its natural shape. They trekked on.

It was beginning to get dark, opposite from where they stood just as the sun crept behind the mountains the light illuminated the figure of a monstrous structure in the distance. "There!" Deckard called out gesturing to his two younger companions who couldn't quite seem to keep up with much older man. "You two need to exercise more." He quipped laughing aloud at how a decrepit old man was able to outpace the two well-built veteran adventurers.

Chester and Cless exchanged looks of humiliation between them catching their breath, "I blame you." Cless mutters to Chester. His friend was not amused, "You pack too much meat in our sack." Cless cocked a brow at the archer's remark. "You might want to rephrase that buddy."

"What? I'm just saying we stopped too many times to hunt. The added weight-"

"Cease your bickering we're almost there."

The minions of Hell, those who follow the presence of the Corruption were wondering the path leading up to the front steps of the Monastery. The forest they entered wasn't as dense, the brush not as thick, as the others. The population of the Hellions though, seemed to be _vast._ Their eyes piercing from behind every tree, every shrub, glowing in the shadows. Their pupils monitored their every move, their snarls and growls reverberating in rounds. They kept their distance for the most part, the occasional Hellion leaping from the brush only to be dispatched quickly with a sword thrust or arrow.

The sun had completely set save for the string of lights that flared up. The eeriness of it, of _everything_ was unsettling, even for Deckard Cain. The blue robed Reverend had witnessed the evils of the world they dwelled in and he believed soon it would be time to reveal to them what _he really knew_.

The Monastery extended beyond the reach of the trees high almost into the Heavens if one could imagine. Victoria style stairs carved from marble poured from the grandiose entrance and clothed in an elegant red carpet. Stained glass windows matted the exterior with vibrant colors that presented a welcoming atmosphere. Only, given the circumstances, this was anything _but_.

From the entrance several individuals stepped out to greet the trio. Clad in Elven armor they surrounded the stairway and drew their weapons.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Cless and Chester raised their hands signaling they weren't a threat. Each Elf concentrated their aim, narrowing their sights on Cain, Chester, and Cless.

"Maybe we're safer out here." Said Chester as he eyeballed each one.

"What business do you have here?" The shouting came from within the structure, another individual came into view garbed in Elven attire like the rest. His stature however, stood out, distinct from everyone else. His blue hair draped over his broad shoulders and held two fingers up in a sort of "peace" sign with a blink dot of light forming in between. "You better turn back now before I finish this spell or-"

"Brambert?" Cless called out, surprised at the sudden appearance of an old ally.

"Cless? Chester?" The Elven leader canceled his spell and moved in closer to the group.

"My word. Whatever are you doing here?" He gestured for the other Elves to stand down. "Come inside it's not safe out here."

The interior of the Monastery was grander than the outside. Stained glass pictures-unlike outside-engraved on either side of the massive inner hall depicted scenes of historical events. Events that no book Cless nor Chester ever read about growing up.

Deckard Cain and Brambert, a man who assisted The Heroes of Eternity obtain the Eternal Sword along with introducing Klarth to the spirit Origin, were discussing the issue at hand.

"We've erected a barrier to repel those abominations outside. However, there is _something else_ within these walls and we've yet to find it."

Deckard Cain listened and nodded. "I can feel it as well. The _Evils_. It's all emanating from here." The elder Elf gave Cain look of grave concern. "Mr. Cain you are certainly renowned. Your reputation precedes you. What exactly _are_ we dealing with here?"

"An evil that predates our forefathers." Unlike humans, save for the wisest among them, Elves were not ignorant to the forces that governed their planet. Acutely aware of the cataclysmic conflict that took place behind the scenes of their simple lives, the vast majority of Aselia's inhabitants could never possibly hope to comprehend. Brambert sighed heavily, the burden was great, born as a being in tune with the natural forces.

"You are overstaying your welcome." High in the rafters the voice echoed throughout. "Never thought the forces of Hell could have their power constrained so easily. Then again, my masters have yet to achieve full power since their _awakening_." A flash of blue flame and the individual presents himself before the crowd garbed in the same attire as the Gondolier's in Venezia.

Chester and Cless draw their weapons, the Elves follow suit. "You are outnumbered you abominable creature." The High Elf bellowed. He could smell the evil emanating. "'Abominable'? 'Creature'? You hurt my feelings. I'll have you know my name is Lysander. ' _Prophet of Hell_ '!"

He raises both hands in front of him, "I will smite _all_ who defy my _Lords_."

A volley of arrows close in on his position. Before they reach him they dissolve, ash harmlessly peppers his body. The self-proclaimed Prophet smirks. "My turn." He snaps his fingers and waves his hand then flicks his wrist. Nothing, just silence. "Is that it? Pretty piss poor for a pro-" The pillars and walls of the hall begin to tremble, cutting Chester off. The marble floor begins to crack and split apart, the small slits now becoming fissures that run deep below the surface.

The Elves holler and shout among themselves and try in vain to assist those whom the ground consumes. Cain, Cless, Chester, and Brambert scramble to more stable ground. Lysander watches with glee as his foes squirm and struggle to regroup. From the ledges of the bottomless pits Cless stares in shock as what can only be identified as _bones_ erupt and hoist the skeletal remains of the dead to the surface.

((Finally the enemy is revealing itself. I wrote this chapter to serve as a filler as what was going on when Mint was being "escorted" to where ever she is. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please read and review, they are much appreciated.))


	7. Hatred Part 1

The shambling piles of bones clawed their way from the fissures matting the hall. Some were still in the process of decay, meat and blood still hanging from the skeletal remains, others their lively features completely withered away. Joining them were ghouls similar to the one that infiltrated the Toltus forest. "Fire!" Brambert commanded his Elves to lay siege on the undead horde before them.

* * *

"W-who are you?" Mint gazed upon the _great_ sight before her. He was tall, much taller than any being she had faced. The bottom was void of legs, _His_ body ending at the pelvis and went from there. Meat and organs began to fill the skeletal features. The chest cavity pressed out against the decayed skin that stretched from shoulder to shoulder. Four _appendages_ suspended from His back, each one moving at his will. _His face_. Mint's eyes welled with tears as her sizes narrowed on His visage. Mummified? No. Certainly it was a _human_ face that has long since dried out and matched the pinkish hue of his body.

"What do you want from me?" She follows up her previous question. The being before her looks down at her. Patient, calm, standing-rather hovering-tall and proud. "You have the _stone_." He says, His voice just as terrifying and heavy as it was when she first heard it.

The cleric shifts back away from him. "W-what do you mean? What stone?" He reaches for her, Mint acts fast and lifts her staff in defense. A force field circles her, repelling Him. He hisses and screeches and pulls away.

"You possess a Holy power. I was careless. It won't save you a second time." He starts off in a circle slowly hovering around her.

"I am a Primordial Being. Far older than the soil you cultivate." Mint sat frozen trying to focus all her energy on the barrier she placed. She could feel her stomach tighten and her chest sink in, cold sweat trickled from her forehead in rivulets down her cheeks. The grip on her staff was slipping, she tightened her hold numbing herself to the pain. _Please God no!_

"I am _Mephisto, Lord of Hatred_!"

* * *

Cless parried the skeletal knights thrust and closed in, he cracked the flat end of his blade against its temple causing the skull to cave in. Feeling satisfied he turns his attention to Lysander.

The self-claimed Prophet proved to be as adept in close quarters combat as he was at Necromancy and Magic. Upon closing the distance, he skillfully backed from Cless's swing and countered with a hard kick to his side. The self-claimed Prophet proceeded with a quick jab to his jaw and another kick. Lysander would then snap his fingers and reappear to another spot.

"Cless! How ya holdin' up?" Chester called out as he fired. The arrows hit their mark, puncturing either the chest cavity or the skull which emanated a purplish glow. It became apparent that was their weak point when the Elves rained their arrows.

Cless held himself on his knees and cradled his right. "Just peachy." He huffs and spits the blood flooding his mouth. "Lysander you coward! Hiding behind your abominations and tricks!"

"Oh please. I think I've proven I can kick your ass!" Lysander retorts, sticks a finger out with his thumb bent like a crossbow sight. "Lightning." His arm crackles as his finger glows, a bolt of light soars and closes in on Cless's position. He heaves himself into a roll as the bolt connects missing him by a hair.

"For being the 'Heroes of Eternity', you surely aren't much of challenge." Another bolt of lightning darts to him, another exhausting roll but the attack impacts. "Gah!" Cless convulses into a fetal position. Lysander laughs and prepares for the kill. He points up and chants his finishing spell.

"Indignation!" The hall of the Monastery illuminated, at up in the rafters the light shined brightest. Beams of light fired from the rafters raining down unto the battle below.

"Give me the soul stone!" Mephisto demanded of Mint. She held her staff resolutely though frightened she wouldn't give in. "I don't know of any stone. If I did I wouldn't hand it to the likes of _you."_ The Lord of Hatred had been repelled again in his vain attempt to obtain that which was rightfully his.

"You may ignorant of its existence, but your appearance _deceives_ you." The force of his power however, was becoming too much for the young cleric to endure. The barrier she erected wouldn't withstand another attack.

"My power grows and yours wanes. I will get that stone. I will rule over Creation." He strikes again, the barrier collapses along with Mints frail body. She lay before the Hell Lord limp unable to defend herself further. A bony finger reaches to her and rips at her ear. She cried in pain and held her head with what little strength she could summon.

"At last it's _mine_." He stares triumphantly at the unicorn shaped earring and with a simple wisp of his breath reveals an onyx colored jewel.

The floors above them shook vigorously so much that Mephisto wondered what was happening. "It makes no difference." He said turning his attention back to Mint. "I have use for you young maiden."

* * *

The spell was as if it were divine judgement sent down. All across the hall the smoldering bodies of the undead lay. Lysander was sprawled about, his body marred by the raw power of the Indignation Spell. "Damn it!" He said coughing. "Damn it all!" He gasped, hacked, and struggled to move but his body wouldn't budge.

"What the hell?" Chester looked around for the source of the attack that just saved their hides. _Only one person I know could have done that_. No time for that he decided and hurried over to his fallen comrade and childhood friend. "Cless? Dead God are you okay?" Cless grunted and groaned in pain, his body tender to any who touched him.

Just as the archer reached him he was met by another individual garbed in, "purple pants?" He looked puzzled and looked up to the appearance of someone _familiar._ Their back was turned to him as this individual also was tending to Cless.

"Arche." Chester mumbled just loud enough for her to hear. Arche Klaine craned her neck to look at Chester and shot him a half smile before turning back to her former leader.

"Is everyone alright?" Brambert called to his fellow Elves while examining the ones who fell during battle. Deckard Cain accompanied him and he too studied the remains of the fallen, both enemy and ally. The remaining Elves regrouped and gathered what they could from their comrades, the rationale being no sense in letting the arrows they had not be used. The blue robed Reverend turned to the "Prophet" Lysander and started towards him.

"Cless are you okay?" Arche gently pulled on his shoulder pad to reveal the impact of the lightning bolt he took just minutes ago. "A-Arche?" The swordsman turned his head and gazed up at the half-elf he hadn't seen in so long. A loyal companion, friend, and essential ally in their fight against Dhaos.

"Don't move too much. The wound isn't life threatening but you won't heal properly if suddenly jerk your body around." She said tenderly as her hand glowed over the injury. Cless winced and groaned his body convulsed some more before the burning sensation went away. "Just lay here for a while until your strength returns."

Chester watched in awe as Arche displayed skills she never showed him nor anyone else during their travels. "Hey I thought you could only conjure magic spells." Arche smiles to herself still back facing Chester. "100 years is a long time. You pick up on a few things."

"Where is Ms. Adenade?" Cain looked down at the incapacitated Lysander who struggled to maintain his consciousness. "You're all dead." The fallen "Prophet" laughed, Cain drove his staff into his shoulder. "Cease your antics Hellspawn!" The pummel pressed further.

Lysander cried out. "She's below us. You won't save her though." He laughed again. "The _end_ is near no matter what you do from here on."

In that moment his body burst to flames, every inch of him consumed by the blaze. Deckard Cain stepped away from the scene and turn to his fellow travelers. "Mint is below us. Though I fear she is in the presence of the _evil_ that plagues these walls."

"Then we finish our mission." Cless forces himself up wincing from the pain he sustained from their battle. "We'll go to her, defeat whatever this 'evil' is and rescue her." The grinding of metal and stone echoed throughout, the group turned their attention to far end of the hall, to the _altar._ It rattles and shifts revealing a dark hole from where it originally stood.

Everyone watches intently and patiently as footsteps grow close. First, a cleric's hat comes into view, then blonde hair accompanied by a familiar face.

"Mint?" Cless sighed in relief that his friend was okay.

"Ms. Adenade? You're alright. I thought for sure-" Deckard Cain didn't move from his spot, instead preferring to call out to his assistant. Something didn't _feel_ right. _Too easy_. He thought.

Mint ventured closer to her friends, a calm collected expression on her head despite the injury she suffered from Mephisto, and the blood had coursed down her neck and visibly stained her clothes. The closer she stepped the more wrong everything became.

"Hi everybody. I'm sorry to have worried you." Mint smiled.

((Another day, another chapter done. What did you think? As always R&R. Thank you!))


	8. Hatred Part 2

Cless strained his eyes down the center of the sanctuary at the altar or where the Altar use to be. Buffered by the sight of his friend he mustered the strength to stand up simultaneously using the blade of his sword as a crutch. Arche and Chester promptly wrap an arm around him for support. Cain, Brambart, including the rest of the Heroes of Eternity stood perplexed by the sudden turn of events. Here they were risking life and limb to expel the evil plaguing the Monastery and investigate the happening, yet here was the young beautiful cleric Mint in the flesh with a content expression.

"Mint you're okay!" Cless called out with some cheer in his tone.

"Yes. I don't know how or why, but I was set free." A smile paints across her seemingly innocent face.

Cain was unmoved by the reunion though. Her appearance was too eerie for him to let his guard down. As Mint stepped closer to everyone else the suspicions that tugged at his chest would only be confirmed.

"Miss Adanade stop where you are!" Deckard Cain says. As if on cue the surviving elves fixed their bows upon her.

The cleric continues her walk towards them; an ominous aura just seemed to seep from her being and it was starting to overpower the elves. Some dropped their weapons and fled. Brambart stood as the only elf from his expedition team. Cless and Chester exchanged puzzled looks as Arche let go and mounted her broom.

"Everyone please." Mint says finally her approach undaunted. "I just want us to go home. There's nothing for us here." She proceeds as Cain and Brambart take a step back.

"Whoever you are cast yourself from this child at once!" Cain clashed the pummel of his staff against the ground sending a ripple of energy throughout the sanctuary. "Be-gone foul creature!" Still the cleric approached.

A bolt of lightning hurls towards Cain's position, he deflects effortlessly. The haunting laughter of a familiar foe echoed only to reveal itself as Lysander, alive and well.

"No way." Chester mutters. His brows narrow in anger disbelief at how this _man_ could be alive after taking a direct hit from Arche's most powerful spell. "How?" Even the witch was shaken at her apparent failure to vanquish the sorcerer.

"I am a 'Prophet' called to a _higher purpose_! I am not bound to the Mortal Plane." Lysander cackled; though he surely was alive his wounds were as obvious as they were when he was slain.

Brambart flicks his wrist and points towards the rafters. "Fireball!" A volley of projectiles as hot and as crimson as hell itself coursed through the air onto the 'Prophet'. Lysander holds up a palm and without any incantation he dissipates the attack. Mint seemed unfazed by the altercation.

Cain never diverts his attention from her. "Only a _Prime Evil_ , a Lord of Hell can bewitch the dead like that." The blue robed priest had his worst fears confirmed. The Evils have _risen_. Mint stops and smiles innocently. "You may be a fool, but nothing gets past you doesn't it Deckard?" The sphere on her staff turns black then she lifts up off the floor and hovers about.

"Then I suppose you know which one I happen to be?" She continues playfully as her body flails in circles around the priest.

" _Mephisto_."

Mephisto smiles and lowers the staff before Cain. "Die."

An arrow ricochets off the sphere of Mint's staff. It catches him off guard, he flinches wincing as if he were injured. "What the hell are you doing to our friend?" Chester bellows in anger as he primes another arrow. "Let her go!" He fires, it disintegrates before it fully leaves the bow.

"Mortals should know their place." Before Mephisto could retaliate he is repelled by an immediate gust of wind that seared the skin and caused her to shriek in an indescribable tone. When he recovered the trio of heroes looked upon their friends frame in horror. The once ocean blue eyes were now darker than the night sky, silky white skin greyed, cracked, and peeling away. The God's Breath spell was one of the few holy attacks elves conjured, as if the heavens opened up and the Lord Above exhaled it would obliterate any foe unfortunate enough to face it.

"Arche don't hurt her!" Cless grasped onto Arche's broom and pleaded with her to spare Mint. Arche wouldn't have it. "Cless look! That isn't Mint! If she's in there she's suffering and we need to help her."

"B-but how can-"

The Prime Evil swings a slender arm in their direction, matching the movement was a fissure of fire slithering towards them. They dodge but they are given no rest as more are followed. From Mints back transparent appendages sprout and dance in the air.

"Feel the power of a Lord of Hell! Your existence will be extinguished. Creation will surrender to my will."

Arche chants another spell tightening her eyes shut to clamp out the images of the creature that has possessed their friend. Tears welled up and her chest convulsed from sobs trying to escape. _Why was such a thing allowed to exist?_

Just as the incantation ended Arche found herself hurling towards the floor her broom in splinters all around her. She didn't scream, she didn't cry out, with nothing to break her fall she looked at her impending death. Her final moments in life were going to be her watching the slaughter of everyone she held dear by a close friend she waited a century to meet again. Tears flowed freely from her as the distance closed between her and the floor. _I'm sorry._

"Barrier!" A window expands before Arche could make contact with the floor. Her frame sinks into the transparent shield and before she knew it she facing the rafters sprawled out on the floor. It was all so fast she thought she died.

"Arche, Cless, Chester! Please stop him! This evil, it's nothing you can imagine!" Mint's voice slipped through her lips.

"You can't save her. Your presence only brings death. Your choices wrought pain and suffering on those you purport to protect." Mephisto's voice replaced hers. The Lord of Hatred exerted his will once again over Mint's body.

"Your villages, your families, your friends. All of them hurt by your crusade to save them. Too late, too weak, your efforts bare no fruit."

Mephisto raises himself above the faltering mortals below him. "Your failure to protect this maiden is yet another one of your many sins. They will forever haunt you!"

Throughout the whole altercation the only one who seemed to be useless was Cless. Chester would fire arrows to draw the Hell Lord's attention, Mephisto would only brush them aside while he stalked Arche on her broom before she fell. Brambart had his hands full with Lysander who seemed to be either playing defensive or toying with the high elf. What use was the swordsman? Was Mephisto right? Were they cause of all the misery? Was it their negligence that lead to Mint's capture?

"He's right." Cless mused as he threw his sword down and slumped against a mangled pew.

"Cless what the hell are you doing?" Chester shouts after he just emptied his quiver of arrows.

"Mr Alvain! Get up!" Deckard commanded as he deflected stray attacks from both Mephisto and Lysander.

"Whoever crosses our path, ends up dead." Poisonous words of defeat dribbled from Cless's lips. "We're worse than demons. We're worse than _Dhaos_."

Cless was pulled to his feet by an angered Chester then promptly dropped to the floor with a powerful fist to the jaw. "Listen up asshole! In case you haven't noticed this thing has the power to obliterate our world! Get your ass in gear and help us!" He huffs fists clenched. Cless looked up at his childhood friend and feels the area of his face that throbbed. He pauses, blinks, wondering what just transpired in the last moment. "I-I'm sorry."

"Apologize later! Get up! Get up dammit!" Chester hoists Cless up to his feet, shoves the sword to his chest and hustles over to the fallen skeletons for arrows to use. Cless grasps the hilt of his sword and looks up at the wavering demon honing in on Cain.

"Horadric filth." Mephisto says as he thrusts a hand forward. The attack was swift, Cain attempted to repel it but his old age combined with the overwhelming evil he faced was too much for him to bear. The possessed hand of Mint ran through the priests shoulder. The elderly man choked on his screams and went limp.

"Pity." The Hell Lord proceeded. "The last of _his kind_ and this is how he falls." Removing himself from the fresh wound Cain's body collapses. Cless watches Mint's mentor fall in a pool of his own blood. In the blink of an eye, a man whom seemed to have all the answers in existence snuffed. There he stared at the horrid creature that was once Mint, a bloody grin painting across the possessed face.

"You drag another unfortunate soul into your circle."

((Long overdue post. This story is still alive. As always please read and review to let me know what you think))


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